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‘Superagers’ are redefining what it means to grow old

Superagers show fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease, stronger neurons, and greater resilience

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Mark Huffman
Reporter

Mark Huffman has covered consumer issues since 2004, with a special focus on protecting and empowering older adults. A former news correspondent for the Associated Press Radio Network, Westwood One, and ConsumerAffairs, Mark brings decades of journalistic experience to RetirementLiving.com. He is passionate about giving consumers a voice and helping them make informed decisions. Mark has also created educational content, including Senior Scam Alert, a video resource designed to help seniors recognize and avoid fraud. He holds a B.A. from the University of Kentucky and lives with his family in Richmond, Virginia.
two older men playing chess in a park

Photo by Vlad Sargu on Unsplash

Key Insights

  • Some 80+ year-olds have memory as strong as people 20 to 30 years younger, and this “superaging” is tied to unique brain structures.
  • Superagers show fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease, stronger neurons, and greater resilience against typical age-related brain decline.
  • Lifestyle didn’t predict superaging, but sociability and positive relationships were common traits among these exceptional individuals.

Aging has long been associated with inevitable mental decline—a slow unraveling of memory and cognitive abilities that seems to spare no one. But new research from Northwestern University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is challenging that assumption with a revolutionary concept: Superaging.

Superagers are people aged 80 or older whose memory performance rivals—and sometimes exceeds—that of individuals two to three decades younger. In the study, these individuals scored at least nine out of 15 on a delayed word recall test, a score considered average for someone in their 50s or early 60s. This is remarkable, considering the average score for 80-year-olds is closer to five.

But these superagers are not just statistical outliers. Scientists have discovered they possess a unique blend of cognitive strength and neurobiological resistance to aging that sets them apart.

Inside the superaging brain

Post-mortem analyses of superagers’ brains revealed key structural and cellular advantages:

  • Brain volume preservation: Superagers’ brains maintain a cortical volume comparable to people in their 50s and 60s, unlike their age-matched peers, who typically experience significant shrinkage.
  • Thicker cingulate cortex: This brain region, associated with attention and motivation, is even thicker in superagers than in younger adults.
  • Stronger cellular health: Superagers have larger neurons in key memory areas, fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease pathology, and reduced brain inflammation. They also show higher densities of rare von Economo neurons—thought to be involved in social intelligence and quick decision-making.

Scientists think these biological differences are not merely cosmetic; they could hold the secret to maintaining mental agility deep into old age.

It’s not about kale or cardio

Interestingly, the study found no consistent lifestyle pattern among superagers. Some exercised regularly, ate well, and avoided harmful habits. Others smoked, drank, or led stressful lives with little physical activity.

However, one trait stood out: superagers tended to be social butterflies. They reported more positive social relationships and scored higher on tests measuring extraversion. Whether social engagement protects the brain or is simply a feature of mentally sharp individuals remains uncertain, but it offers a compelling clue.

As the research continues, one message is clear—the limits of aging are not set in stone. For a lucky and still mysterious few, 80 might just be the new 50.